Drive wheel assembly



July 12, 1949. H. J. MERTZ DRIVE WHEEL ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1946 Elma/W130i? HARRY J. MERTZ H. J. MERTZ DRIVE WHEEL ASSEMBLY July 12, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 12, 1946 FIE E HARR-V J. MERTZ 3&3

H. J. MERTZ DRIVE WHEEL ASSEMBLY July 12, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 12, 1946 gwum vk HARRY J. MERTZ Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE DRIVE WHEEL ASSEMBLY Harry J. Mertz, Webster City, Iowa, assignor to Solar Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware 4 Claims.

This invention relates to drive wheel assemblies for motor vehicles of the so-called motor scooter type, and the primary object is to provide a drive wheel hub construction and associated parts that are particularly designed for rugged use and which can be easily and quickly removed for purpose of repair or changing of the tire.

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 613,640, filed in the U. S. Patent Oflice on August 30, 1945, for Brake control and accelerator assembly.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a left side elevation of motor scooter incorporating my improved drive wheel assembly.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail elevation of the rear end of the scooter as seen from the right hand side thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the irregular line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 44 in Fig. 3, showing the tire rim as bolted in place on the hub.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 4 but showing the rim bolts removed and with the rim members turned to a position where they may be axially separated and removed from the hub.

Referring to the drawings more particularly and by reference characters, A designates the frame of a scooter vehicle, the same being supported on front wheel B steered by handle bars C, and by rear wheel D driven by engine E through suitable transmission mechanism F. The driver normally operates the machine sitting on seat G and with his feet resting on foot support H.

The frame A, preferably formed of tubular metal or pipe, is comparatively narrow at its forward portion, so as to best accommodate the driver, but the rear end is bifurcated and includes two rigidly connected frame bars 6-! disposed in vertical parallel planes, and the upper parts of which support the seat G, while the lower parts support the motor or engine E.

The rear wheel D, is disposed between lower rear end portions of the bars 6-4, and is mounted on an axle 8 that is secured as by U-shaped clips 9.

The hub of the wheel D (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) comprises a cast member ID, having bushings II surrounding the axle 8, and a pair of flanged collar or rim sections [2 which are so formed as to properly receive and support the tire I3. The members I Z are rigidly secured to the hub member by bolts M which also serve to secure a sprocket gear by which the wheel is rotated.

The transmission mechanism F includes a belt l6 connecting a pulley on the motor with a larger pulley I! mounted rearwardly thereof on a shaft [8 which also carries a sprocket pinion 19 that drives a chain 20 passing about sprocket gear IE to complete the drive connection.

The shaft i8 is journaled in the upper sectionv 2i of a bracket 2 |22 that fulcrums on the shaft 8, whereby the position of the pulley I! may be adjusted to regulate the tension of belt l6. Such adjustment may be effected through an adjustable connection 23 with an upper part of frame bar I (Fig. 1). The two bracket sections 2| and 22 are pivotally connected at 24 and are adjustably secured with respect to each other by a bolt 25 secured in one section and operating in an arcuate slot 26 of the other section for the purpose of properly tensioning the drive chain 20.

Although not here disclosed it may be noted that the transmission mechanism preferably includes a fluid drive coupling, the same being mounted on the engine shaft for operating the pulley that drives the belt I6, as shown for instance in the Fields application, Serial No. 514,043 now matured into Patent No. 2,445,058 issued July 13, 1948.

In that type of drive it is unnecessary to entirely disengage the drive wheel D from the engine when stopping the vehicle, and consequently if the engine is decelerated and the rear wheel braked the vehicle may be stopped while still permitting the engine to run at idling speed. It has therefore been to considerable advantage to incorporate both the brake control and the carburetor or engine adjustment in the same control mechanism and in such manner that both may be actuated simultaneously by a single control member.

In the present instance the control member is a finger lever 21 and it is mounted adjacent one of the handles 28 of the handle bar 0, in such manner that when it is squeezed toward the handie it will exert a pull on a flexible cable 29. This cable extends through a flexible conduit 30 to the rear of the machine where it attaches to a link 3|, an adjustment 32 being provided between the cable and link. A spring 33, acting against a fixed bracket 34, tends to urge the link 3|, downward, and, of course, the pull on cable 29 is against the tension of this spring.

The lower end of link 3| is pivoted, at 35, to one end of a straight lever 36, fulcrumed at 31, to one end of a generally T-shaped lever 38. The lever 36 is channeled, or U-shaped in cross-section (Fig. 3) to straddle the head end of lever manner more fully disclosed in my parent appl'i'--- cation.

Referring again to the T-lever 38, it is fulcrumed at point 42 in a bracket 4'3 rigidly se'-- cured on frame bar 6 and the rearward movement of this lever is limited by a lug 44 of the bracket. A brake band 45 secured, at itsopposite ends, to the brake lever, 38, as at points 46 and 41, the connection 4'! being adustable, as at 48, to provide for wear adjustment of the brake. lining. The brake drum 49, as best shown Fig. 3, is an integrally cast extension of the wheel hub II].

It is here to be noted that since the securing flanges 50' of therim-sections 12 are bolted, by M, to the inner side of the hub 1'0" proper, and cannot be removed leftwardly as seen in- Fig. 3, because of the integraldrum section 4'9, provision must be made for theirquick' and convenient removal, and-this is done as'best illustrated in Figs. 4" and 5.

' To thisend the hub HI isgeneral-ly star-shaped incross section, having radially and longitudinally extending lugs which are bored at 52, to receive the bolts l4; Likewise, the rim flanges 50' are similarly sectioned, each corresponding section being bored, as at 53, to receive the bolts M. The inner contour of the flange sections is such as to leave a star-shaped contour of the adjacent hub' section. It will thus be seen that when the'tir'e' rim and hub are in the" relative positions shown in Fig. 4' the'bolts' M can be inserted to rigidly secure the parts together. But when the rim is tobe removed, as for instance to repair a tire, the operation is very simple. Thus removal' of the bolts M releases" both the gear l5 and the rim l'2, whereupon it is a simple matter to rotate the rim with respect to the hub sulfici'ntly so that the star-shaped opening will register with the hub lugs- 5l, as shown in Fig. 5, so thatthe' can now'be moved axiall or to the right as viewed in Fi'g. 3. To facilitate re-" moval and attachment ofthe bolts l4 wrench holes 54' are provided" irl'the attaching webof the brake drum, as: in Figs. 2 and' 3.

It will of course be understood that various modifications may be" made in the" structure asherein illustrated and described without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated '4 and described by invention what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A drive wheel assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a hub having an integral brake drum extending at one end therefrom and having a sprocket wheel disposed atthe other end thereof, a tire, rim disposed peripherally about the hub, and bolts extending longitudinally through the "hub to secure both the sprocket wheel and rim thereto.

2. A drive wheel assembly for a motor vehicle com-prising a hub having an integral brake drum extending at-one end therefrom and having a sprocket wheel'disposed at the other end thereof, a tire rim disposed peripherally about the hub, and bolts extending longitudinally through the hub to secure both the sprocket wheel and rim thereto, said rim having two sections with adjoining flanges through which said bolts extend.

3. In a drive wheel assembly, a hub having an integral brake drum at one end and a removable drive gear at the other end, a wheel rim mounted against an end surface of the hub facing the drum, bolts'extendingthrough. the wheel rim, drive gear, and a portion of the hub to secure them rigidly together, said hub portion and a center opening in said wheel rim being so shaped that when the bolts are-removed and the rim is rotated into offset position with respect toits normal position of attachment to the hub the rim' may be removed axially over said hub portion in the direction of the drive gear end thereof.

4. In a wheel assembly, a hub having longitudinall'y extending peripheral recesses over" a portion thereof and abrake drum integrally connected to the saidhub portion by a relatively reduced sleeve part, a tire supporting" rim re"- leas'ably' attached to the end surface of said hub portion adjacent said sleeve part, said rim hav ing attachin flange members adapted to move through the recesses when the rim is rotated to offset position with respect to itsnormal position of attachment to permit removal of the rim. lengthwise over the recessed portion of the hub;

- HARRY J. MERTZL REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record. inthe: file of this patent:

UN ITED" STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 788,840 Madden et' all May 2, 1905 1,071,000 Vande'grift Aug. 19,191? 1,740,738 Keith Dec. 24. 1929 2,151,615" Potter Mar. 21, 1939 2,165,723 North July 1-1, 1939' 

